RAFAEL NADAL, the player I'm backing for the Rome Masters, begins his quest for a sixth title today and should have few problems seeing off German Florian Mayer.
The Mallorcan, who slipped to world No.3 at the weekend, is a best-priced 1-40 with Boylesports. Mayer, ranked 28, beat Nadal in their only previous meeting last year, on hard courts.
He is 20-1 with Paddy Power, Bet365 and BetVictor to make it two wins out of two against Nadal but he won't do so on The King of Clay's favourite surface.
The best value you will get out of Nadal for now is backing him to win another title at Foro Italico (5-6, Betfred, Boylesports, Skybet).
Andy Murray celebrated his 25th birthday with a victory on Tuesday – delivering my forecast of a three-set success over David Nalbandian at 16-5.
Today, the match between Stanislas Wawrinka (4-6, Stan James) and Janko Tipsarevic (8-5, sportingbet) is the one I'm focusing on.
It's a first career meeting between two tough competitors and the clash should require three sets (11-8, BetVictor).
Recommendations
Wawrinka v Tipsarevic
(Three sets 11-8, BetVictor)
Rome Masters winner
(Nadal, 5-6 Betfred, Boylesports, Skybet)
In December 2020 we sadly 
Do u fancy a nadal-federer or nadal-djokovic final?
It’s likely to be Federer and Djokovic in the semis. Reckon Fed will edge that one so a Fed/Rafa final.